The SMWC attack put together a solid performance in the opening set and a closed the match with a dominant fifth set to pick up a huge road win at Rio Grande on Friday night by scores of 25-15, 18-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-6.
The Pomeroys (25-3, 11-2 River States Conference) relied on a strong defensive performance throughout to grind out the victory and posted a .400 hitting percentage in the fifth set.  
Hannah Zuege and Raymiah Allen combined for a block and Madison Hill added a kill to spark the Pomeroys early in the fifth set. Masa Pesic had three of her team-high 12 kills in the fifth set. 
SMWC held the Red Storm to negative attack percentages in three of the five sets, and the Pomeroys had nine blocks total, one shy of their RSC-best 10 this season. 
"Our defense kept us in a lot of those points tonight," coach Ashley Harris said. "Offensively, we couldn't get stuff going for our outsides. Our right sides did very well." 
Rio Grande was able to limit the effect of SMWC's outside hitters - Zuege, Karla Melendez and Tori Schopmeyer combined for just 10 kills - but the right-side attack stepped up. Pesic was effificent on her 12 kills with a.219 hitting percentage and Hill added nine kills (.207). Middle hitter Alex Hernandez had nine kills (.250). 
Pesic and Morgan Krause each had five block assists to lead the defense at the net. 
The back row play was outstanding. Jocelyn Chavez had 13 digs, while Ariana Cruz had 12, Leishmarie Virella nine, Alondra Garcia Alicea nine and senior Zula DeJesus six.
Virella led the way with three aces, giving her a team-best 20 during conference play. 
The victory was SMWC's first at Rio Grande, with the Pomeroys dropping a 3-0 match last fall in the only other road meeting.